The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of garden rose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between two unnamed seedlings. The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99.
The new rose may be distinguished from its seed parent, an unnamed seedling by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The seed parent is a floribunda rose; whereas, xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 is a shrub rose;
2. The seed parent has larger blooms and more petals than xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99;
3. The habit of the seed parent is upright, while the habit of xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 is low and spreading.
The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, unnamed seedling created by the same inventors, by the following combination of characteristics:
1. The pollen parent is a miniature rose, much smaller than xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99;
2. The pollen parent has orange-red flowers; whereas, xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 has dark-red flowers.
The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for garden use was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities, such as:
1. Uniform and abundant flowers;
2. Vigorous, compact growth;
3. Low growing, spreading habit;
4. Dark-red blooms.
This combination of qualities is not present in previously available commercial cultivars of this type and distinguishes xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 from all other varieties of which we are aware.
As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens N. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization and conducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.
xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 was selected by the inventors in the spring, 1988 as a single plant from the progeny of the aforementioned hybridization.
Asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 by cuttings and traditional budding was first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in August, 1988 in a nursery in Fredensborg, Denmark. This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated that the characteristics of xe2x80x98POULriaxe2x80x99 are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.